Sound designer Arnaud Noble is renowned for creating engaging immersive audio experiences for high-profile game titles and interactive media. To bring these atmospheric gaming environments to life, Noble sets out on real-world ‘sound expeditions’. At his side is a Sennheiser MKH 8030/MKH 8040 RF condenser microphone combo for capturing the raw original sounds that he will then weave into fascinating game soundscapes – from dense, captivating sound ‘tapestries’ to eerie sound effects. This is a glimpse behind the scenes of a truly bewitching craft.
Sound plays a critical role in games, for shaping the player’s experience, enhancing the atmosphere, and deepening immersion. The nuances of environmental ambiences, character voices, and action-driven sound effects not only create a believable world, but also offer essential feedback, guiding players through complex narratives and gameplay. Noble has contributed to many acclaimed projects in the gaming industry. His work reveals the transformative power of audio in shaping the user experience. “Capturing unique, original sound sources to craft compelling soundscapes is essential to the pre-design process of the game,” he explains. “It allows me and the team to explore the textures and nuances of original sounds. These recordings are the raw material that’s needed to build our sound palette for a game. It sets the foundation for the entire pre-design creation process.”
For his latest project, Noble turned to an MKH 8030 and MKH 8040 (cardioid) condenser microphone in a mid-side stereo configuration. He finds the MS stereo setup particularly versatile: “It allows you to record both ambience and specific audio sources, such as foley or prop manipulation. These mics can capture pristine audio even in complex, unpredictable environments, while the MS configuration gives me greater control over width and balance.” The MS stereo configuration with a figure-8 MKH 8030 and cardioid MKH 8040 give Noble the ability to record sounds with full control over the amount of ambient sound. “The MS setup allows me to adjust the stereo width during post-production, which is a significant advantage, while the wide frequency response of the MKH mics makes it easy to manipulate the audio sources during the sound design process, from adjusting pitch to fine-tuning,” Noble adds.
Easy to transport and designed to handle challenging outdoor climates, the microphones proved invaluable during Noble’s field recording trip to Japan, where he used the MKH 8030/8040 combo to capture diverse urban and nature soundscapes. “In urban environments, I had to be very mindful of choosing the right location to avoid capturing unwanted sounds,” he says. “But I was pleasantly surprised by the flexibility offered by the MS setup. It also helped that it was discreet; passersby never even noticed I was recording.” Noble believes that experimenting with precisely captured original sounds is essential, as it leads to distinctive textures that enrich the sound palette. “When capturing audio for games, I record up close to get the intricate details in a controlled, quiet environment,” Noble explains. “Working at 192 kHz lets me record a wide frequency spectrum, allowing for extensive and precise sound manipulation later on. Sometimes, simply slowing down a sound source creates magic: Unexpected textures reveal themselves, adding surprising depth and character. I believe that capturing original sounds and experimenting with them is essential, as it leads to these distinctive textures that enrich my sound palette and seamlessly enhance my design work, which often relies on layering. For this purpose, the MKH 8030 and 8040 are my tools of choice. The combination provides exceptional detail and a remarkably convincing stereo image, making them perfectly suited for this type of creative work.”
